Duke  University  Libraries 

Doers  of  the  wo 
Conf  Pam  12mo  #907 


No.  11. 


DOERS  OF  THE  WORD. 


To  persuade  men  even  to  Lear  the  Word  is  a  hard 
matter;  we  have  much  ado  to  get  them  within  the 
sound  of  the  Gospel.  .  Many  shrink  even  from  this 
the  lowest  step  of  the  ladder  by  which  we  mount  to 
heaven.  The  first  thing  we  have  to  contend  with  is 
an  unwillingness  to  hear.  Speak  of  this  duty  to 
those  that  neglect  it,  and  they  will  have  an  excuse 
ready  at  hand.  As  regards  Church,  the  weather, 
their  clothes,  the  length  of  the  service,  the  distance, 
a  seat  to  their  mind,  their  farm,  their  merch^ndi  - 
something  there  is  always  in  the  way;  they  hope  to 
be  better  soon,  they  have  resolved  to  change — so  they 
run  on.  deceiving  their  own  selves  with  such  excuses 
for  not  hearing  the  Gospel  preached  as  they' will  not 
dare  to  utter  before  the  throne  of  God  when  thay  come 
to  be  judged  at  the  last  day.  But  let  us  take  the 
case  of  those  who  hear.  Is  it  all  well  now  ?  nay,  we 
have  another  form  of  deceit  to  meet ;  how  much  ends 
in  hearing,  how  many  are  mere  listeners  and  go  away 
and  do  just  those  very  things  they  have  been  charged 
to  forsake,  and  leave  undone  thoee  ve*y  things  they 
were  besought  to  fulfil.  If  there  had  been  none  such, 
there  would  have  been  no  need  of  our  Saviour's  words ; 
He  knew  what  was  in  man  when  He  gave  us  the  ex- 
hortation, "  Be  ye  doers  of  the  Word  and  not  hearers 
only/1  He  knew  the  deceitfulness  of  the  heart  of 
man ;  how  disposed  we  are  to  lessen  our  measures  of 
religious  service,  to  relax  His  holy  law,  to  deceive 
ourselves  in  our  religious  duties,  to  smooth  down  the 


2  BOEfiS   Or   THK   WORD. 

gharp  edges  of  the  Gospel  law,  and  to  sit  in  the 
shadow  of  the  cross  instead  of  taking  it  up.  He 
knew  that  we  should  bo  tempted  and  should  tempt 
ourselves  to  put  the  form  of  godliness  for  the  power, 
to  do  the  easier  parts  and  leave  the  harder  parts  of 
Christian  obedience  undone.  Hence  came  this  ex- 
hortation, "  Be  ye  doers  of  the  Word  and  not  hearers 
only ;"  that  is,  first  hear  and  then  do ;  hear  the  Gos- 
pel for  the  sake  of  doing  it,  not  for  the  sake  of  hear- 
ing it;  carry  out  the  Gospel  into  your  daily  life  ;  donOt 
stop  at  hearing;  get  forward  beyond  that  ;  that  is 
good,  but  it  is  only  good  as  the  beginning  of  godli- 
ness; do  not  content  yourselves  with  feasting  your 
ears  on  the  blessed  promises  of  God,  dot  with  satis- 
fying the  appetite  of  your  ears,  nor  with  having 
strong  feelings  of  devotion  to  Christ,  nor  with  fair 
resolutions  for  your  future  life.  In  this  way  we  may 
expand  these  words  of  our  Lord.  Our  Saviour 
charges  us  to  go  forth  instantly  and  to  act  as  becometh 
children  of  light  and  heirs  of  heaven,  to  set  our- 
selves to  the  high  and  sublime  work  of  preparing 
ourselves  for  heaven  in  the  midst  of  the  common 
cares  of  Our  station  and  daily  life.  It  is  our  Saviour 
Himself  who  counsels,  now  speaking  from  heaven, 
now  looking  down  from  heaven  on  us  who  have  drunk 
.of  the  Spirit  of  grace  and  tasted  that  the  Lord  is 
gracious.  By  God's  help  let  us  hear  this  counsel  and 
keep  it ;  add,  brethren,  good  actions  to  good  thoughts, 
doing  to  hearing,  deeds  to  words,  performance  to 
promises,  fulfilment  of  good  desires  to  desire's  formed, 
habits  of*devotiou  to  feelings  of  devotion.  It  is  good 
for  us  that  we  came  to  hear,  but  we  must  guard 
against  barren r unfruitful  hearing.  The  Gospel  is  not 
a  mere  sound.  It  is  designed  to  change  our  hearts, 
and  our  hearts  should  change  our  lives,  God's  Spirit 
IMpiBg  #?  ia  that  work.     The  more  other  men  refuse 


"DOttf**    OF   TME    WORD.  3 

to  hear,  the  more  must  we  not,  only  hear  but  do,  that 
the  light  of  truth  waste  nor  utterly  away,  that  the 
whole  land  may  nut  become  Sim  in  heavenly  things, 
and  gross  darkness  cover  the  people.  If  there  l>e 
many  who  sleep  and  are  deaf,  those  that  watch  must 
watch  all  the  more,  lest  they  also  be  tempted  to  sleep 
like  others,  or  lest  by  reason  of  so  much  unwatch- 
fulness  the  Lord  refuse  to  keep  the  city.  It  is  high 
time  for  us  all  to  oeeome  more  holy  in  our  lives,  more 
like  our  Lord  in  aJlpholy  conversation  and  godliness,  for 
we  have  all  had  our  dull  season-,  our  careless  days, 
our  sleep,  our  unwatehful  times,  nay,  our  times  of  sin 
and  wickedness,  when  we  were  almost  without  God  in 
the  world. 

Few  can  say  they  have  been  growing  in  grace  con- 
tinually from  their  youth  ;  that  they  have  walked  con- 
sistently all  their  lives  in  the  fear  and  love  of  God. 
Of  those  who  are  now  seeking  to  be  saved,  that  they 
may  be  with  Christ  for  ever  and  with  the  brethren 
Who  sleep  in  Christ,  many  were  in  times  past,  cold 
and  deaf,  dead  and  unconcerned.  Their  godliness 
is  of  recent  growth,  and  though  God  'hath  quick- 
ened them  with  His  Spirit  and  given  them  grace  to 
turn  from  sin,  yet  .think  of  the  waste  of  His 
former  gifts  of  grace,  time,  and  health,  that  has 
taken  place^.  It  is  high  time,  then,  to  make  great 
growth  in  the  things  of  God  after  those  bare  and 
unfruitful  times,  for  our  term  of  grace  shortens  ;  the 
Gospel  is  passing  on ;  it  will  soon  be  preached 
in  the  ears  of  others  and  no  more  in  ours.  We 
are  but  stranger?  and  sojourners,  as  all  our  fathers 
were ;  the  world  will  uot  stop  for  us, '  nor  the  wheel 
of  time  cease  to  whirl.  Our  generation  will  not  keep 
the  world  standing  still  till  we  have  got  rid  of  all 
our  worldly  cares,  and  till  all  is  made  smooth  for  the 
service  of  our   Lord.     Though   we  may  each   hare 


4  BOERS   OF   THE   WORD. 

something  now  in  our  »way  which  seems  to  hinder 
us  from  a  more  complete  devotion  of  ourselves  to 
Christ,  think  not,  brethren,  that  whatever  that  hin- 
drance be,  we  shall  not  have  other  hindrances,  other 
cares,  other  pleasures,  other  interests,  to  choke  up 
the  way  afresh  between  us  and  God  when  these  are 
gone.  We  must  not  stand  on  thejprink  waiting  for 
the  river  of  worldly  temptation  to  dry,  that  we  may 
cross  over  dry-shod  to  God's  side.  Burst  the  bonds 
of  present  cares,  be  resolute  and  brave,  quit  your- 
selves like  men.  It  will  be  no  easier  next  year  than 
this  to  overcome  sin,  to  serve  your  Lord  acceptably ; 
the  way  is  narrow  now,  it  will  be  narrow  then;  nay, 
narrower  and  steeper  and  rougher  still,  for  a  year's 
idleness  in  the  things  of  God  weakens  the  spiritual 
man,  unfits  him  for  spiritual  work,  unnerves  his  hand, 
and  the  unpracticed  arm,  clumsy  at  its  work,  will 
shrink  from  all  severity  of  toil.  Think  how  many 
have  been  hearers  of  the  Gospel  in  past  time,  and  not 
doers,  who  were  ever  intending  to  do,  and  having 
visions  of  devotion  and  dreams  of  holiness  and  fair 
resolutions  and  deceiving  purposes,  and  nothing  at 
last  to  take  before  the  throne  of  God  but  a  multitude 
of  barren  wishes  and  unfulfilled  intentions.  Like  the 
careless  virgins  they  had  lamps  in  their*  hands  but 
nO  oil  in  their  lamps,  leaves  but  no  fruit,  the  form 
of  godliness  but  not  the  power,  profession  of  the 
faith  but  not  faithful  practice,  a  full  ear  but  empty 
.band^  a  store  of  truth  in  the  head  but  a  lack  of  holi- 
ness in  the  life.  Felix  heard,  and  trembled  at  the 
hearing  of  the  Word  ;  Agrippa  heard,  and  was  almost 
persuaded  to  "be  a  Christian ;  Herod  heard  John  the 
baptist  gladly  and  observed  him  ;  Judas  both  heard 
and  preached  the  Gospel :  yet  what  came  of  ail  that 
hearing  ?  Other  professing  Christians,  less  marked 
with  sin,  have  loved  the  sound  of  truth  bwt  wrved 


DOERS   OF  THE   WORD.  -J 

the  world,  have  gone  on  listening  to  the  Book  of  God 
and  exhortations  agreeable  to  the  same,  without  act- 
ing up  fed  what  that  l>ook  and  those  exhortations 
teach  ;  liaving  their  devout  thoughts  and  stirrings  of 
conscience,  and  yet  letting  their  passions  rule,  cling- 
ing to  their  favourite  sins,  making  no  hearty  efforts 
for  victory  over  sin,  easily  drawn  aside  by  evil  com- 
panions or  entangled  in  their  old  ways.  0  the  thou- 
sands that  have  been  lost  that  thought  to  be  saved, 
the  thousands  that  are  lost  who  were  all  their  lives 
purposing  to  be  Christ's  but  ended  in  being  the 
world's,  that  have  gone  forth  without  fruit  of  real 
living  faith  to  lay  before  Christ  at  the  day  of  judg- 
ment, though  they  were  alway  exhorted  to  seek  the 
Lord  while  He  might  be  found,  and  though  they 
were  ever  intending  to  be  doers  of  the  Word  before 
their  deaths!  If  the  spirits  of  the  dead  could  come 
back  and  speak  to  us  on  earth,  the  spirits  of  those 
who  were  always  hearing  without  doing;  with  what 
an  intense  earnestness  would  they  beseech  us  who  as 
yet  can  do  the  Word  as  well  as  hear,  instantly  to 
give  ourselves  with  all  the  energy  of  a  resolute  and 
devoted  will  to  the  work  of  'Christ !  with  What  pas- 
sionate pleadings  would  they  press  ua  not  to  waste 
any  more  this  short  hurrying  life  in  mere  intentions 
to  be  Christ's,  but  now  at  onee  and  without  delay  to 
break  the  bonds  asunder  that  separate  us  from  Him; 
and  at  once,  to  enter  upon  a  '■  ;;«>dly.  righti&ousj  and 
sober  life V.  They  cannot  speak  j  but  we  have  Moses 
and  the  prophets,  nay,  we  have  Christ  ^nd  the  Apos- 
tles. The  voice  of  Christ  is  heard  amongst  us. 
though  the  voice  of  the  dead  is  not  suffered  to  use 
up;  the  voice  of  Christ  our  future  Judge,  who  kuow- 
eth  what  He  will  .require  in  the  judgment,  tells  us 
what  He  will  require.  Our  Judge  Himself  fore- 
warns us  what  witnesses  we  must  bring  before  Him 


8  DOERS    OF    THE    WORD. 

at  our  trial  if  we  would  escape  the  fiery. indignation 
that  will  dovour  His  adversaries.  :  Be  ye  doers  of 
(he  Word  and  not  hearers  only,  deceiving  your  own 
Knives  ;"  He  shows  us  to  what  manner  of  self-deceit 
we  are  exposed.  He  now  bids  us  mortify  our  sins, 
purify  our  live*,  cleanse  our.  consciences,  resist 
our  lusts,  deny  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  and 
thus  to  work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  aud  trem- 
bling, for  it  is  God  that  worketh  in  us  both  to  will 
and  to  do  of  ills  good  pleasure. 

And  think,  brethren,  how  great  this  word  is  which 
we  have  to  do,  really  to  become  more  and  more  like 
our  blessed  Lord,  to  purify  ourselves  even  as  He  is 
piue,  to  strive  for  a  sort  of  angelic  and  heavenly 
shite  of  sat*]  whii  h  eventhe  appearance  of  evil  would 
disturb.  When  we  think  of  those  words  that  the 
pure  in  heart  shall  see  God.  and  then  consider  all  the 
impurities  of  our  thoughts,  all  our  angers  and  all  our 
acts  of  selfishness,  ail  our  harshness  of  speech,  all 
our  lo.ve  of  worldly  opinion,  and  all  our  hot  and  eager 
interest  in  worldly  things,  we  feel  how  far  we  are 
from  that  gentle,  unselfish,  holy,  guileless  mind 
which  becomes  men  who  axe  waiting  for  Christ,  and 
are  called  by  Him-1  the  children  of  light."  Whu 
.ifter  all  is  equipped  for  heaven  ?  In  whom  is  heaven 
i.i. •  'inning  now  ajid  the  light  breaking  through.? 
Who  i.  weary  of  the  world  and  longing  to  pass  away 
and  crying  out  like  St.  John,  '•  Come,  Lord  Jesua," 
an/I  w'. -  ving  that  he  had  the  wings  of  a  dote*  that  he 
migh>  flee  away  ar>,d  lie  at  rest9  ?o  cold  are  we  and 
rjirtby  aud  full  -of  worldly  ways,  worldly  habits,  and 
worldly  views,  fchaj  -we  •ling  to  the  world  and  could 
not  say  we  are  longing  for.  Christ  to  come.  And  yet 
how  soon  our  change  may  come  !  How  soon  all  these  * 
scenes  may  swim  before  our  eyes  and  our  homes  pasa 
i'rom  our  sight,  and  friends'  fhees'and  the  speech  of 


DGSBB  f)F   THE    WARD.  J 

men  and  the  bustle  of  the  world,  farms,  fields,  and 
all  that  makes  up  tj  '  f  human  life,  how  very 

soon  ma}-  all  have  vanished  as  *  dream  when  one 
awaketh  !  He, who  is  gone  tYow  us  iirio  heaven,  bo- 
seeches  us  to  prepare  for  that  daj.  lie  wants  us  to 
wateh  for  that  coming.  He  tells  us  how  to  watch  ;  He 
helps  us  with  His  Spirit,  when  we  desire  to  eonse- 
orate  our  lives  to  Him  :  He  accepts  our  prayers  when 
we  try  to  pray ;  and  leads  us  mercifully  on,  and  is 
gentle  with  us  when  we  turn  to  a  holy  life,  lie  gives 
us  peace  and  lightness  of  heart  as  a  present  reward 
for  doing  Hi^  will.  What  more  ean  He  do?  He  is 
sparing  us    for  our  good  ;    H  0  iih  us  and 

with  our  sin  ;  He  has  lifted  us  up  when  we  have  fallen  ; 
He  has  comforted  us  in  our  sorrows  ;  He  has  refreshed 
us  in  our  repentances." and  succoured  us  in  our  need. 
When  our  father  and  mother  forsake  us,  He 
takctn  us  up ;  when  our  friends  fail  or  when  they 
die.  He  that  never  faileth  and  nevei*  dies  is  our 
friend  instead  ;  Vhen  our  worldly  means  lessen,  He 
is  our  riches  ;  when  we  are  sick  he  is  our  com- 
forter ;  when  we  desire  to  dogoodit  is  by  the  in- 
spiration of  His  Spirit :  when  we  do  good  He  helps 
Ufl  in  the  work.  '• 

Give.  then,  yourself  to  your  Lord;,  give  youfielf 
afresh  ;  you  owe  Him  all  things,  and  He  has  done  all 
things  for  you  that  partake  of  good  ;  every  good 
^ift  and  every  perfect  gift  is  from  His  bountiful 
hand.  Turn  not  away  from  Him;  seek  not  your 
own  way ;  befriend  yourself  by  being  the  friend 
of  Christ.  Follow  not  evil  ways  ;  tear  not  yourself 
out  of  your  Saviour's  hands,  who  has  apprehended  you 
for  your  good,  and  whose  prisoner; you  are,  that  you  may 
have  His  recompense  of  reward.  Yield  your  neck  to 
Hisblessed  yoke;  b«  not  wanton  and  -self-willed; 
neither  be  a  mere  talker  of  teligitm,    Do  not  say- 


LORD,    REMEMBER   ME. 


"  Sir,  I  go,"  without  going.  Do  not  hear  a  com- 
mand from  IW  wit lu>ut  fulfilling  it-:  but  cast  your- 
self at  once,  thoroughly  and  with  all  your  heart, 
into  the  way  of  obedience  and  of  active  service  for 
your  Lord.  Prove  yourself  a  soldier,  not  by  having 
a  soldier's  name  and  a  soldier's  dress,  not  by  using 
soldiers'  words  and  talking  like  a  man  of  war,  but  by 
quitting  yourself  like  a  man  in  the  field  of  battle, 
(jrod  will  defend  you  as  with  a  shield;  God  will 
help  you  and  that  right  early. 


"LOUD,  REMEMBER  ME." 

0  Thou,  from  Whom  all  goodness  flows, 

I  lift  my  soul  to  Thee; 
In  all  my  sorrows,  conflicts,  woe?. 

G6\)d  Lord,  remember  me.     # 

It  on  my  aching,  burdened  hearr, 

My  sins  lie  heavily. 
Thy  pardon  grant,  Thy  peace  imj^n  j 

Good  Lord,  remember  me. 

It  trials  sore  obstruct  my  way. 

And  illg  I  can  not  llee, 
Then  let  my  strength  be  as  my  day  :. 


If,  worn  with  pain,  disease,  and  grief. 

This  fefebte  frame  should  be, 
Grant  patience,  rest,  and  kind  relief; 

Good  Lord,  remember  me. 

And  oh  !  when,  in  the  hour  of  death. 

I  bow  to  Thy  decree, 
Jesus  receive  my  parting  breath  ; 

Good  Lord,  remember  mo. — Amen. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church  Publishing  Association, 
Charlotte,  N.  C, 


Hollinger  Corp. 
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